Review: Playing with the Sonos: Play 1

A few weeks ago, I was lent a Sonos: Play 1 to check out and write about my thoughts. I don’t do a lot of tech reviews, but I had been really curious about Sonos, so I jumped at the chance.

But now there’s a problem. I don’t want to give it back.

I had been interested in the Sonos line up ever since we started renovating our house. You only have to ask a few people to know that’s one of the best out there, and since our house is smaller, we were looking for something small that packed a punch. And does the Sonos PLAY:1 do that. So much so that after using it for a few weeks, I fear our house won’t be the same without it.

The Sonos system fixes the main problem I’ve always had with bluetooth speakers. And that’s that PLAY:1 uses Wi-Fi, not Bluetooth. Meaning I can listen to my perfectly-curated Hanson playlist on repeat without interruptions when you get a text or phone call. This for me was probably my favourite feature.

I also really liked the design and shape. We have a small house, without a ton of counter space, so the face that it fits pretty much anywhere we wanted to put it, was a huge plus. I also like that it’s not giant and not visually distracting, I mean, it’s pretty, but a speaker is still a speaker. It feels classy and discreet.

I’m not audiophile, but the second the Sonos PLAY:1 started playing, I could hear the difference. The sound is really great and it carries perfectly around the house. I’m sure someone that knows a ton about tech and sound explain why, but for me, someone who just enjoys having music playing almost all the time in the background, the quality was exactly what I was looking for.

The PLAY:1 also pairs with other PLAY:1s, or other members of the Sonos family. I know a few friends who’ve been slowly building their Sonos library to build their dream home theatre system. The coolest thing is that they don’t have to be connected by a wire, so you can set them up for the room that works best for you.

After enjoying it for a week longer than I was supposed to (Sorry Sonos), I’ve packed the PLAY:1 back in its box and sending it to the next member of the media to enjoy. I hope they take care of it, the same way it took care of me and my ears. Priced at $249, I’d have to say that the PLAY:1 would be a great addition to anyone looking to up the quality of music in their homes. And if you want access to my Hanson playlist, you just let me know.